Child&#39;s collapsible rocking chair



E. L. PARKER CHILD'S COLLAPSIBLE ROCKING CHAIR A ril 9, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 19, 1956 li ra S n n. mm m M N K 0 m T A T we k w we .a a I if m m v flm D E Y 3 .n B v9 0 mm 2, 3 v t mm on .3 Q c t me v 3 mu 2 m. ow em mm m va? 2 f\ Nu mm 5 3 NM 00 v N o April 9, 1957 E. L. PARKER 2,788,055

' cum's COLLAPSIBLE ROCKING CHAIR Filed March 19, 1956 :s Sheets-Sheet 2 I a f K FIG.;3

FIG. 1

INVENTOR. EDWIN L. PARKER ATTORNEYS April 9, 1957 Y E. PARKER 2,788,056

CHILD'S COLLAPSIBLE ROCKING CHAIR Filed March 19, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. EDWIN L. PA KER BY Eld f g W ATTORNEYS United States Patent CHILDS COLLAPSIBLE ROCKING CHAIR Edwin- L. Parker, Wadsworth, Ohio, assignor to Blazon, Inc., Akron, Ohio, a corporation of ()hio The present invention relates to an improved, childs rocking chair. More particularly, the invention relates to a rocking chair especially adapted for confining and amusing the very young child and which is readily collapsible, for transportation from place to place.

It. is an object of the present invention to provide a childs rocking chair which has inherent stability and is thus difiicult to tip, which is light in weight and of inexpensive construction, which is decorative and entertaining for young children placed therein, and, which is readily collapsible for storage or for easy transportation with the. child from place to place.

I These and other objects will be apparent in view of the following description taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved rocking chair in its erected or usable position;

Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the chair in its collapsed or folded position;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the chair in its erected position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation of the hinge and seat construction;

Fig. 5 is an end view, taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 4 of the hinged seat construction;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section in elevation of the clip means for maintaining the chair in its erected position;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation of the seat tray construction;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of Fig. l and,

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of Fig. 2.

The improved rocking chair is indicated generally by the numeral 10, and includes a substantially rectangular base member having arcuate or rocker side portions, a smaller substantially rectangular upper member foldably supported on the base member and having a rear portion inclining downwardly therefrom, and a seat structure carried on the upper member, the rear portion of the upper member being attachable to the base member.

The base member of the chair 10, indicated generally by the numeral 12, is preferably formed from one piece of metal tubing, and includes two identical parallel side rocker portions 13 formed in a shallow arc. The rocker portions are connected at their front ends by a transverse portion 14 and at their rear ends by a transverse portion 15 to complete the rectangular configuration of the rockerlike base member.

Extending upwardly from the rocker portions 13 of the base member 12, are struts each indicated generally by the numeral 16. Each strut is preferably formed from metal tubing and each has a flattened lower end 17 which is pivoted to the inside of a rocker 13, at a point forward of the lowermost portion of the rocker, by a rivet 18. Above the lower end 17, each strut 16 is directed rearwardly upward to a slight bend 19. Above the bend 19, each strut becomes directed more nearly vertical and each terminates in a flattened upper end 20.

The upper member of the chair 10,, indicated generally by the numeral 22', is preferably formed from one piece of metal tubing... The upper member 22 includes two identical normally horizontal parallel side bars 23, a front transverse portion 24 connecting the front ends of the side portions to form a substantially rectangular forward portion, and two rear legs 25 inclined downwardly away from the, side bars and converging so as to join at 25' and form a substantially triangular rearward portion.

The upper member is supported above the base member 12 by the struts. 16,, the upper ends 2t) of which are each hinged to the inside of. a side bar 23 by a cross bar 26, (see Fig. 7). Between the ends 20 of the struts, the cross bar 26' may have placed thereon colorful plastic balls 27 or similar articles for the amusement of children using the chair 10.

The seat structure of the chair 10, indicated generally by the numeral 28, is preferably formed from metal stampings. The seat structure 28 includes a substantially rectangular seat member 29 having two identical rearwardly directed flanges 30 at opposite corners, preferably reinforced as at: 30' for greater strength (Figs. 4 and 5). A back member 31, having two identical downwardly directed flanges 32, is hingedly connected to the seat member by rivets 34 extending through flanges 32 and 3b.

The back member 31 of the seat, structure is pivotally connected to the: inside, of each side bar 23 by rivets 36. The seatmember, 29 is pivotally connected to the inside of. each strut 16,. in the area of each bend 19' in each strut, by similar rivets 3.8..

A tray member 4i) having a circumferential lip flange 41 may be attached to. the upper frame member 22', ahead of the crossbar 26', by rivets 42v inserted through the side bars 23. Also, if desired a suitable strap 44 may be attached between the cross-bar 26 and seat member 29 so that a child using the chair cannot slip out of the seat structure.

Referring to Fig. 6, a resilient clip means, indicated generally by the numeral 45, is attached to portion 25' of the upper member 22 by a rivet 46 which preferably extends through the tubing 25 and is removably inserted into a small hole 46a in the tubing 15. It is also preferred that the tubing 25' be indented upwardly, as at 47, to obtain better contact with the tubing 15. The clip 45 has identical opposed legs 48 curved so as to resiliently grip the tubing 15 of the base member 12, and thus detachably engage the upper member 22, with the base member.

The rocking chair 10 is shown in the erected or usable position in Figs. 1 and 8 in which the base 12 is resting on a surface such as a floor, the upper member 22 is supported at its uppermost position by the struts 16, the seat member 29 of the seat structure 28 is supported by the struts 16 and the back member 31 by the upper member 22, and the clip 45 attached to portion 25 of the upper member is in detachable engagement with the base 12.

The construction of the chair 10 is such that for collapsing to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 9, the clip 45 is detached from engagement with the base 12 so that the triangular rearward portion 25 of the upper member 22 will move rearwardly of the rear portion 15 of the base 12. Such rearward movement causes the struts 16 to pivot in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 1) in relation to the rockers 13, the seat member 29 to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction in relation to the struts 16, the back member to pivot in a clockwise direction in relation to the upper member 22, and the upper member 22 to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction in relation to the struts 16.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be obvious that changes or modifications could be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, all such changes or modifications are to be deemedwithin the scope of the annexed claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible rocking chair structure including, a substantially rectangular rocker base, upwardly extending struts movably attached at their lower ends to said base, an upper member above said base, said upper member having a substantially rectangular and normally horizontal forward portion movably supported on the upper ends of said struts and a substantially triangular rearward portion inclined downwardly toward said base, a seat structure having a seat member and a back member hingedly connected together, said seat member hinged on and between said struts, said back member hinged on and between said forward portion of said upper member, and resilient clip means for attaching the rearward portion of said upper member to said base.

2. A collapsible rocking chair structure including, a substantially rectangular base member having two laterally spaced parallel rocker portions, upwardly extending struts movably attached at their lower ends to said rocker portions, an upper member above said base, said upper member having a substantially rectangular and normally horizontal forward portion movably supported on the upper ends of said struts and a substantially triangular rearward portion inclined downwardly toward said base, a seat structure having a seat member and a back member hingedly connected together, said seat member supported on and between said struts, said back member supported on and between said forward portion of said upper member, and resilient clip means for attaching the rearward portion of said upper member to said base.

3. A childs collapsible rocker including a substantially rectangular rocker base, a pair of upwardly extending struts pivotally connected to said base and movable rear wardly in relation thereto, an upper member above said base, said upper member having a substantially rectangular and normally horizontal forward portion pivotally connected to the upper end of said struts and a substantially triangular rearward portion inclined downwardly toward said base, a seat structure having a seat member and a back member hingedly connected together, said seat member pivotally connected to said struts, said back member pivotally connected to the forward portion of said upper member, and a resilient clip attached to the rearward portion of said upper member and adapted for detachable engagement with said base.

4. A childs collapsible rocker including, a substantially rectangular base having laterally spaced parallel arcuate side portions connected at either end by transverse front and rear portions, a pair of upwardly extending struts pivotally connected at their lower ends one to each of said side portions, forward of the lowermost portion and movable rearwardly thereof, an upper member above said base, said upper member having a substantially rectangular and normally horizontal forward portion having side rails connected at their front end by a transverse front rail, said side rails pivotally connected to the upper ends of said struts, and said upper member having a substantially triangular rearward portion inclined downwardly to the rear portion of said base, a seat structure having a seat member and a back member hingedly connected together, said seat member pivotally connected on and between said struts, said back member pivotally connected on and between the side portions of said upper member, and a resilient clip attached to the rearward portion of said upper member and adapted for detachable engagement with the rear portion of said base.

Farley Feb. 9, 1892 Haich Jan. 14, 1947 

